Thicker Than Water
by NilesDaughter
Summary: Edward has always relied on science, on rationality. One evening, a mysterious, gray-eyed girl stumbles into his life, and his world is thrown into chaos. Has science led him astray? Is the world of magic and vampires the actual way of things? AU. EdxOC.
1. In the Dark of the Night

Chapter One: In the Dark of the Night

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Fullmetal Alchemist'.**

**Note: This was inspired by the fanfic/doujounishi by Shadow-Mage-Evelyn on deviantART that is title 'BLOODLINE'.**

"Brother?"

The young blonde cocked his head. Why did his brother sound frightened? He finished plaiting his hair and got to his feet. He felt a shiver run down his spine as he wandered the dark hallways of their house, unnerved by the silence and lack of light. Normally, he would not have been bothered by this, but something about that night brought all his fears to the surface, blew them out of proportion.

"Brother?"

The blonde quickened his pace, eager to find his brother, protect him from whatever was scaring him. He reached the study, the room they rarely entered because they did not wish to disturb their father's things, even if at that point it appeared he would not be returning.

"No, Brother, don't! Run away! Save yourself!"

Now it seemed as if his brother's voice was surrounding him, coming from everywhere at once. He staggered back, confused. What was scaring his brother, what was it that he needed to get away from its clutches?

"I've been waiting for you, my prey." The feather-light voice tickled his ear, and then he felt pain exploding in his neck.

* * *

"Brother! Brother, wake up!"

Edward Elric forced his eyes open, looking around. Sunlight filtered into his bedroom, quickly chasing away the horrors of his nightmare. His younger brother, Alphonse, stared at him with concern.

"Are you alright?" he asked. "You were screaming…"

Edward nodded as he sat up. "Yeah, Al. I'm fine. I just had a nightmare."

"Okay." Alphonse stepped back as Edward stretched his arms above his head, yawning. "I've got breakfast ready downstairs."

"Great!" Edward got out of bed as Alphonse left the room. He started changing, pondering over his nightmare. It just wasn't logical…Then again, who said the mind's deepest fears were bound by logic? There was nothing logical about the way the human mind took its fears and, with the help of some imagination, twisted them so much that some people even became afraid of their own shadows. Edward shook his head.

_It was just a bad dream, and nothing more.

* * *

_

"Lady Ashlynn, your steed is ready."

"Thank you, Flynn." The dark-haired girl got into the saddle as her red-haired friend and servant held the midnight-black mare steady. "Tell Uncle I'll return at daybreak."

"Will you be out all night again, m'lady?"

"Yes. Don't worry. I know I need to eat tonight."

Flynn nodded and stepped back as Ashlynn urged the horse into a gallop. She waved a hand as she passed through the gates, signaling to Falman to close them. Almost as if with a note of finality, they clanged shut. She continued down the road, savoring the moment she had stolen. Since she was the youngest of her sisters, her uncle was always worried about her well-being. He had promised her parents that he would care for her and her sisters. Ashlynn loved her uncle, but she didn't particularly enjoy being confined to the manor, either. She needed to get out, breathe a little…

When she arrived at the outskirts of Munich, she slowed her horse to a steady walk, and a slight smile crossed her face. She promised herself she would enjoy the evening.

* * *

Edward downed another cup of coffee, making a face at the bitter taste. However, he was in no position to complain, since he'd need it to keep him awake. He was going to be at the café for a while, studying. He scratched his head and turned a page, jotting down a few notes. The night stretched on, and eventually, Edward felt the back of his neck prickle.

He looked up and noticed a black-haired girl staring at him. She blinked a few times, and smiled in a friendly sort of way, her storm grey eyes sparkling. Edward smiled timidly, feeling very frightened for some reason. He returned to his book, and when he happened to look up again, she was gone.

* * *

With a sort of detached feeling, Edward followed his brother's voice to their father's study, heard Alphonse's warning at the threshold. Then, his nightmare changed.

A shadow moved at the window, disturbing the patch of moonlight on the carpet. The black-haired girl from the café smiled at him. What unnerved Edward about her appearance in the dream were her eyes, which had taken on the eerie, mirror-like glow of cats' eyes. He took an involuntary step back.

That same feather-light voice spoke. "I've been waiting for you my prey."

Pain shot into his neck, and he reached out to the girl at the window. Slowly, he realized she was no longer there, but at his side, causing that pain he felt. She grinned at him, almost innocently, which contrasted with the fact that her teeth were pointed, and blood was dripping down her chin. With a sickening jolt, he realized it was his.

She licked her lips. "You have the most delicious taste…" Her light voice made him feel heavy and sleepy. Her beautiful, horrifying face was the last thing he saw before he fell into darkness.

* * *

Edward shook his head as the nightmare kept nagging for his attention, not wanting to be pushed to the back of his mind. It bothered him that he was thinking about the world of myth, when the whole reason he was going to the university was so that he could excel in science and philosophy, relying on rationality. To add to the troubling matter, a girl he had only seen _once_ had featured in his nightmare as a vampire, of all things!

Shaking his head again, he placed a book on a shelf above his head, promising he would no longer stay up late studying, nor would he drink coffee so late at night. Work was his main focus at that moment, anyway. He turned around and bumped into someone, the stack of books in his arms flying out of his grasp. He, and whoever he had collided with, were knocked to the ground. Shaking his head yet again, he began apologizing.

"I'm very sorry. I wasn't paying attention to where I was…" At that point, the blonde opened his eyes, and found himself beside the black-haired girl. Against his better judgment, he felt himself become tense with fear.

"No, no, no. It's my fault. I was in your way."

Edward relaxed slightly. Her voice did not sound anything like the feather-light one in his dreams. Rather, she sounded young, yet intelligent beyond her years. Edward knew it was ridiculous, but something still unsettled him about the girl…Nevertheless, he got to his feet and offered his hand to her. She smiled daintily and accepted his help, brushing off her dress once she was back on her feet. Only then did Edward realize how well-dressed she was. Her dress was a dark royal blue, with a modest, square-cut neckline accented with lace. Her bodice was laced with silver-colored ribbons, and a heavy-looking black coat hung from her shoulders, pinned in place with a silver brooch inlaid with rubies. He caught himself staring and quickly knelt down to gather up the books he had dropped. The girl knelt down to help him, and their hands brushed against each other. She jerked back as if she had received an electric shock.

"I'm sorry." Edward looked up, and noticed she looked tense.

She shook her head. "No, no, it's fine…"

Edward dismissed it as his imagination, but it seemed as if her voice had changed, warped in a way, making her sound like a hungry animal…She rose to her feet and, without another word, hurried out of the shop.

For the rest of the day, Edward caught himself thinking back to the black-haired girl. He was the last to leave the shop after they had closed. He stepped out into the chilly autumn twilight, closing the door behind him and locking it. He went down the small flight of stairs that led down to the sidewalk and turned, crashing into someone.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." When he looked up, it was the very same dark-haired girl.

"I'm really sorry, Miss…eh…I don't believe I know your name…"

She smiled. "Ashlynn Mustang."

"A pleasure," he said with a slight bow of his head.

"The pleasure is mine, Mr.…um…"

"Elric. Edward Elric."

"Well, Mr. Elric, I do hope you will not make a habit of bumping into me every time I'm nearby," she said good-naturedly.

"I don't think I will, Miss Mustang."

Ashlynn smiled at him again before she stiffened, staring at a point behind him. Edward, however, did not notice this. Ashlynn turned her grey eyes to his golden ones.

"Would you please come with me?" she asked.

"Why?"

"Please," she pleaded, taking hold of his hand. "Just trust me."

Edward looked into her face, but all he saw was desperation and fear. He decided to follow her. She pulled him along, gradually quickening her pace, muttering to herself.

"Why, damn it…? Need to get him away…It's not safe here…"

"Not safe? Miss Mustang, there's no one here…"

"Of course there is…They're always watching…" Ashlynn turned a corner, going into an alleyway.

Edward was just beginning to think that he should probably steer this girl to the nearest mental asylum when the other end of the alley was blocked by a couple of hooded figures. Ashlynn jerked to a stop, her body tensing, her grip on his hand tightening. There was a slight cracking noise, and then Edward's face twisted in pain. Had she…broken his hand?

"Why are you here?" Ashlynn hissed.

There was no reply. In annoyance, she turned to go back the way they had come, only to find that their way was blocked by a few more hooded figures. Ashlynn's eyes narrowed and she pulled Edward closer to her side, almost protectively. Her eyes darted about as they became closed in, a total of seven enemies.

"You're not having him. I don't care how special his blood is. I'm not letting you have him."

"What the hell is going on here?" Edward hissed under his breath, but he received no reply.

A bone-chilling howl filled the air, and the hooded figures to their right were practically bowled over by a light brown wolf, segments of its pelt an icy blue color. The wolf came to a stop in front of Ashlynn, turning its blue eyes to her. Ashlynn nodded, her face revealing her relief.

"Now, are you going to leave them alone?" Edward's mouth fell open as a female human voice came from the wolf's mouth. "Or am I going to have to rip your throats out?"

All but one of the hooded figures backed away, seeming to melt into the steadily-increasing shadows. The one that remained took a step closer to the three of them, facing Ashlynn and throwing back their hood. Before them was a young man with long, dark green hair that was in wild disarray.

"You know we will get the human eventually, Ashlynn."

"I'd love to see you try," she hissed back, baring her teeth. However, as Edward watched, frozen with confusion and fear, her top canines lengthened, tapering into two sharp points. Unconsciously, she loosened her grip on Edward's hand.

The young man's violet eyes sparkled mischievously, his lips curving into a smirk. "Very intimidating. Too bad you're mad at me at this present moment. You know how much I love your company…"

The wolf growled at him, advancing as her fur bristled, making her appear larger, before she appeared to warp, taking on an appearance that was a cross between human and beast. "Leave!"

"I'm going. Though you may want to catch your precious human, Ashlynn." With those words, he also melted into the shadows.

Ashlynn spun around and saw that Edward was nowhere in sight. "Terra!" she called to the wolf before following the blonde's scent.

* * *

Edward placed a hand upon a lamp post, doubling over to catch his breath, his mind reeling. None of this could be real, there was no rationality to it. He must be having another nightmare…When he pinched himself, he found that he was still standing outside in the chill autumn evening, breathing hard on a street corner, his heart thumping wildly with fear. He looked around, trying to get a bearing of his surroundings. He finally determined that he was only a few blocks from his house. He took off running, desperate to escape the insanity.

Ashlynn suddenly appeared in front of him, and he slightly slowed his pace.

"Please, I can explain this. Just calm down."

He made the mistake of looking into her eyes when she was speaking. When he met her grey eyes, he felt sleepy, heavy, unable to move. He couldn't keep his balance and fell forward, his eyes closing. Before he hit the ground, Terra caught his fall. Ashlynn petted the werewolf's head with a sigh.

_This is bad…_


	2. Night World

Chapter Two: Night World

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Fullmetal Alchemist'.**

**Note: This was inspired by the fanfic/doujounishi by Shadow-Mage-Evelyn on deviantART that is titled 'BLOODLINE'. Therefore, until I am further along in the story and have further developed the plot further, I apologize in advance for any similarities you may see.**

Terra assumed her human form and helped Ashlynn sit Edward up on her horse. The werewolf held him steady as Ashlynn climbed into the saddle behind him, wrapping an arm around the blonde's waist so he would not fall off. She urged the mare forward as Terra returned to her wolf form. They left the city of Munich, following the road that would lead them back to the manor.

The ride was silent for a long time before Ashlynn finally spoke.

"You had incredible timing, as usual," she told the werewolf.

Terra snorted. "Of course. How else am I supposed to keep you out of trouble?"

Ashlynn laughed. Terra had been at her side for as long as the young vampire could remember, acting as a sort of bodyguard. She was also a very good friend. Her gaze drifted to Edward's left hand, and she winced. She should have remembered about her vampiric strength, but she had forgotten about the fragile thing she had been holding. All she had been thinking about was the anger that had flooded her body. She hated herself for breaking his hand, for not remembering that the young blonde was only human.

"Stop that," Terra growled. "You know I can sense your emotions."

"I'm sorry," Ashlynn replied, but she constantly glanced at the young man's hand as they continued down the road.

* * *

Edward still felt heavy and sleepy when he woke up. He slowly opened his eyes, thankful that his night had been free of nightmares. It took him a while to realize that he was not in his own bedroom. Once he realized that, he sat quickly sat up, making his head spin as the blood rushed from his head. He was in a lavish canopy bed that was overflowing with pillows, the room full of expensive dark-wood furniture. Pale sunlight filtered through the windows, and a small fire crackled in a corner of the room. He tried to brush his bangs out of his face, but hissed in pain. He looked down, and saw his left hand was bandaged, and someone had exchanged his clothes with a silky nightshirt.

He pushed himself off the bed, and threw out his arms when he toppled over. He shakily got to his feet and stumbled over to an armchair, grabbing onto it for support, cursing the fact that his legs felt like jelly. He made slow, clumsy progress towards the door. Edward tried the doorknob when he got to the door, but found that he had been locked in. His anxiety peaked. Where was he? Why was he being confined? Slowly, he recalled the hooded figures…The wolf with the human voice…Ashlynn…Ashlynn's teeth elongating into fangs…

Letting out an embarrassing squeak of fear, Edward stumbled back to the bed. Was he going to become the girl's—no, vampire's—next meal? Was there nothing left to do but to wait for death?

* * *

Ashlynn pulled out a silver key from the pouch around her waist, biting her lip. Undoubtly, Edward had woken up and recovered from her hypnosis spell, and the young blonde human was bound to be wanting answers…That, or he would just about be ready to murder her, since she was something different, feared. She took a deep breath and unlocked the door. When she opened it, a vase flew a few inches past her face, shattering on the wall behind her. The blonde barreled past her and took off down the hallway.

She cursed and followed him. Her uncle didn't yet know that she had brought Edward to the manor…He may not have been like other vampires that attacked anything that had a pulse, but she didn't want him having the young man for a midnight snack. Thankfully, Edward easily became lost, and within no time, she had caught up to him.

Edward had stopped to catch his breath outside of the library. Ashlynn went to his side and grabbed him around the middle. Quite unceremoniously, she dragged him back to the guest bedroom; her main concern was getting the young man back in bed, and away from her family. The human flailed about, trying to escape her grasp, but she refused to yield. She made sure the door was locked behind her before she released him.

"What the hell do you think you're doing!"

She lowered her gaze and silently approached the fire, feeding the dying flames to keep warmth in the room. She felt his gaze boring into her back, angrily demanding answers. With a sigh, Ashlynn rose to her feet and turned to face him, steadily meeting his glare.

"I'm sorry…"

"You're sorry," Edward repeated, his voice deathly quiet. "You're sorry?" Now he sounded bitter, incredulous. "What the hell did you think you were doing! Bringing me here, taking me away from my home! Do you know that I have a little brother waiting for me! He's the only family I have left, and he's probably worried sick about me! Why don't you just kill me and get over with, you monster! Why are you keeping me alive!"

Ashlynn winced and looked away when she saw the burning accusation in his eyes. She also sensed something floating around him, something that wasn't…human.

"Believe me, I didn't want to bring you here…But it isn't safe for you in Munich…"

"Not safe? How the hell is it not safe!"

"Do you remember those hooded figures? They will try to come after you again, try to get a hold of you…They're after your blood."

"What's so special about my blood? Or were they monsters, vampires like you?"

Ashlynn shook her head. "Magic-casters. There is something different about your blood. Something old, magical, something that isn't human…I'm not all too sure _what_ it is…"

Edward scoffed. "What a load of crap. You just want to keep me here until I'm healthy again, and then you'll eat me…"

"No, Edward, I—"

"Don't act like you're my friend! Just get away from me!"

Surprised by the sudden and strong burst of anger, Ashlynn squeaked and ran out of the room, being sure to lock the door so that Edward couldn't get out and do something stupid. She took a shuddering breath and leaned against the door, guilt and embarrassment flooding through her. She closed her eyes as she tried to block out the desperate, angry cries of the human as he pounded against the wood, trying to make it yield to his wish of escape.

* * *

"Yes!" Edward breathed as he heard the click of the lock. He tossed aside the piece of wire in his hands and opened the door. He poked his head out, finding that the hallway was empty. Across from him, a long row of floor-length windows had the curtains drawn back, bathing the hall with silvery moonlight. He cursed slightly, but he refused to allow this setback to scare him; he was getting out of that place.

As he went on his way, he jumped at the sight of nay distorted shadow, held his breath with every creak of the floorboards. Eventually, he came to a grand staircase, leading down to a large, open foyer. Opposite the bottom of the stairs, he could see the heavy-looking front doors. The young man's heart skipped a beat, elation and relief overcoming him, before he all but flew down the stairs and threw himself at the door. He strained his muscles trying to open it, but in the end, he managed to open it enough so that he could slip through, stepping out into a moon-bathed courtyard.

He took a deep breath and hurried down the path, towards the great stone wall he saw in the distance. As he neared, he saw that the iron gates were wide open, and he let out a small, almost manic, laugh. He was free!

Edward broke into a run as soon as he was in the cover of the forest. He had not been running long before he heard the sound of pursuit. Fear clenched at his stomach as he tried to quicken his pace. So close, yet so far…The blonde came to across a clearing, and though his brain was telling him to keep running, he collapsed at the base of a tree, his chest rising and falling as he tried to force air back into his lungs. He was wasting precious time, but he couldn't will himself to move.

At the opposite end of the clearing, a massive tiger stepped out into the clearing. Edward pressed himself against the tree as the tiger approached him, its amber eyes flashing, a low growl rumbling in its throat. Not long after, a white tiger joined it, and the two cats slowly advanced on him.

_Move…MOVE…!_ Edward pushed himself to his feet and ran deeper into the forest, hearing the tigers following him. His foot caught on a tree root, and he skidded across the forest floor. A hiss of pain escaped his lips, and he looked around wildly, hearing nothing. He breathed a sigh of relief.

And then his world exploded with pain, black and red dancing before his eyes.

* * *

The triumphant roar of a tiger caught Ashlynn's attention. She urged her mare towards the source of the sound. As she neared, she could smell the deep, intoxicating scent of fresh blood, and she had to pause to take a deep breath. Once she found the place where the blood-scent was strongest, she saw that Jackie and Lily, artificial shape-shifters, had caught a kill. Ashlynn dismounted and approached.

"What did you manage to fi—" Ashlynn froze as she spotted blonde hair sprawling out across the undergrowth. "Jackie, Lily, back down!"

The two tigers met her gaze.

"Back. Down," she repeated fiercely.

They stepped away, and Ashlynn gasped. Edward lay there, cuts zig-zagging across his body, his blood spilling out to stain his white shirt with the color of Death. She knelt at his side, lifting his head and placing it in her lap, but she was unsure of what to do. Was he dead? Was he alive?

"Get help!" she snapped at the tigers, and they went away.

She leaned in, and could make out the faint sound of the human's breathing. She let out a sigh of relief and lifted her arm, rolling back her sleeve, and pierced a vein in her wrist, placing the open wound above Edward's open mouth. He swallowed once before he tried to pull away.

"Stop moving…You'll only make it worse…"

"No…!" Though his voice was weak and muffled, she could easily detect the underlying distress in his voice.

"Let me help…You've lost too much blood…" She gently but firmly held him down. "You're not going to turn into a vampire, if that's what you're worried about…"

He fell limp, and Ashlynn panicked, but sighed again when she detected his gentle breathing. She pulled her hand away, drawing a piece of gauze from her satchel and wrapping it around her wrist.

"Lady Ashlynn."

She turned her head towards the voice. Aaric stood behind her, a vaguely questioning look on his face.

"Can you close his wounds?"

Aaric glanced over at the human. "Yes, m'lady." The warlock knelt down, brushing his fingers along each individual cut, the skin beginning to knit itself back together. Ashlynn sighed with relief as the young man lay there, unscathed and sleeping, wondering if the fragile being upon her lap would last in her world.

* * *

Edward opened his eyes, sunlight glaring into his room. He groaned and shut his eyes. Something cold and damp pressed against his forehead, and he opened his eyes again. He saw Ashlynn at his bedside, applying a wet cloth to his forehead. She seemed aware that he was awake, but she purposely avoided his gaze as she took another cloth and dipped it into a bowl on the nightstand, before dabbing at his neck and face with deliciously cool water. As she watched her movements, he mentally cringed with guilt, remembering his angry words the day before.

"I'm…sorry…" he said, noticing that his voice was hoarse.

Ashlynn finally looked up at him, her surprise evident on her face, and Edward felt another twinge of guilt.

"You're welcome…Mr. Elric," she hastily added as she lowered her gaze again.

The two fell into silence. Edward wanted to say something, but he didn't know what; he watched the vampire as he tried to come up with something. Her choice of clothing was simple: a black lace-trimmed and bell-sleeved dress that fell off her shoulders, coupled with a deep purple bodice. Her hair fell about her shoulders, partially pulled back into a small knot at the back of her head. Edward quickly looked away, becoming embarrassed that he had been staring.

Ashlynn rose from the chair beside his bed and began to go around, straightening the things in the room that had been thrown around the room during Edward's rampage the previous night. He glanced at the window, the curtains thrown back, his room flooded with pale sunlight, and he looked at Ashlynn.

"You can be in the sun?" Edward was vaguely aware that he probably sounded stupid, but he was curious.

Ashlynn smiled. "Yes. That's just a myth."

There was a scratching noise outside the room, like cat's claws against wood. Ashlynn sighed and looked towards the door.

Edward jumped slightly. "What's that?"

"Jackie," Ashlynn said. "She won't hurt you. After last night, I told her that you're not meant as a—Well, I told her not to hurt you again."

"Wait…The tiger from last night?"

"I apologize for her behavior, but since you are new to the manor, she didn't recognize your scent."

Edward fell silent, noticing that Ashlynn glared at the door before the scratching noise stopped. The young black-haired woman turned to face him, a smile on her face. She then resumed her task of cleaning the room.

"What did you just do…?" The blonde finally managed to ask.

"It's a telepathic link. All of the night creatures have them, although the type of species defines the limits and strengths. I just told Jackie to leave us alone."

"So…can you read my mind?"

"I'm not used to the…wavelengths of your mind, so to speak…However, I can get a weak reading, and I can tell you're still doubting the reality of all this…"

The young man's eyes widened slightly, amazed that she had known that. Then again, the rational side of his brain was telling him that it probably wouldn't be that hard to make out his disbelief. He shook his head slightly, frowning as he tried to make the events of the past few days make sense. No matter how hard he tried to view them from a rational viewpoint, however, the more it seemed to slip out of his grasp like smoke…But perhaps that was how this world worked, using smoke and mystery. Ashlynn smiled softly, her eyes lit up with amusement, as if she were laughing at him.

His thoughts then drifted to his brother, and he threw back the covers, attempting to rise out bed. Ashlynn was at his side almost immediately, gently but forcefully pushing him back onto the mattress.

"My brother…! He's got to be worrying about me!"

"I know. But right now, this is the safest place for you. I already sent one of my sisters to look after your brother. Right now, you need to rest."

Edward looked up into her face, only seeing concern for his wellbeing. He fell back into the pillows, albeit a little reluctantly. She smiled softly when she saw that he was going to stay in bed, and went to continue picking up the things on the floor. She turned and looked at a shattered vase on the floor. Edward watched as she knelt down, tracing the shape of each ceramic shard. There was a gentle blue glow, and the vase was back in one piece. The blonde blinked several times, gaping.

Ashlynn smiled at him. "Magic," she replied to the question clear on his face.

"But…? What…? How…?"

Ashlynn let out a laugh, her grey eyes alight with amusement.


	3. Dark Haven

Chapter Three: Dark Haven

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Fullmetal Alchemist'.**

Alphonse waited in the sitting room, constantly rushing over to the window to see if his brother was coming up to the door. But every time he checked, he only saw the usual traffic that passed his house. The young man was very worried about his brother. After all, it wasn't like him to go off without warning. Edward had also been gone for three days, without even a phone call. Alphonse kept wondering if something bad had happened to his brother…

There was a knock at the door, and Alphonse jumped up from the armchair he had been sitting in. He held his breath. Had he just imagined the knock…? There was a second one and, beaming, Alphonse ran to the front door, quickly unlocking it.

"Brother, I'm so glad you're back! I was starting to…" Alphonse opened the door, his words trailing off as he noticed who was at the door.

It was someone the young man didn't recognize. He was young, with long, messy dark green hair. Although the pupils of his violet eyes were oddly cat-like, they were friendly-looking. The young man smiled at Alphonse.

"Alphonse Elric?"

"Y-yes…?"

"Could you come with me, please?" I have some friends who are very eager to meet you…"

"I'm sorry…I don't believe I know you…" Alphonse tried his best to be polite, hiding his fear as he tried to close the door.

"Yes, but we know where your brother is. We can take you to him."

Alphonse paused. "Brother…?"

The mysterious young man nodded. "Yes. You want to see him again, don't you?"

Alphonse hesitated. It was true that he wanted to find his brother, but he was getting a very bad vibe from the man before him. There was something dark and unnatural about the stranger…Alphonse didn't like it. "Well…"

"I don't have all day. Either you'll come freely, or I'll have to make you."

There was a jolt in the young blonde's stomach, and he felt slightly dizzy. But he shook his head and slammed the door shut, locking it. He ran back to the sitting room, drawing the curtains shut and sat down in the armchair he had previously been occupying. Would the unwelcome visitor go away…? Quite suddenly, said man appeared before Alphonse, who yelped in surprise.

"I'm assuming that means we have to do it the hard way."

As the man reached down to grab Alphonse by the wrist, what appeared to be a lightning bolt struck him down. Very startled, Alphonse looked over to see a young black-haired girl standing at the entrance of the sitting room. She brushed her hair back from her face, stepping over to nudge the now-unconscious man with her foot. She smirked slightly when he didn't move.

"I expected you to put up more of a fight, Envy…This is pathetic…" She turned around and looked at Alphonse, a reassuring smile on her face. "I bet you're scared right now. But you don't have to worry—I'm not the bad guy here."

Alphonse felt like he could believe the girl. Although there was also something unnerving about her presence, the young blonde didn't feel that she was evil. He felt like he could trust her. "W-who are you?" he asked.

"My name is Crystal Mustang. I'm a friend. I'm asking you to come with me before more of these guys"—she jerked her head in the direction of the now-unconscious man—"show up."

"Do they have my brother? He said he could take me to my brother…"

"No, they don't. Your brother is safe with my family. Now, please, we really need to hurry."

* * *

Ashlynn knocked on the door. "Edward, it's me."

There was no answer.

"Edward?"

Nothing.

Ashlynn's anxiety peaked. _Did he try to escape again?_ She opened the door, looking around the room. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw him curled up in an armchair beside the fireplace, fast asleep with a book in his lap. She smiled fondly, setting the tray of food she held down on the table beside the armchair. She stared at the blonde's sleeping face. He looked so peaceful, so child-like…Ashlynn felt sad, knowing she had been the one to take him away from the human world and condemning him to her world, a world of eternal shadows.

Edward stirred, his eyes opening sleepily, his gaze falling to rest on her. "Ashlynn…" He yawned, stretching his arms above his head. "Guess I fell asleep reading…"

Ashlynn smiled, eager to hide her distress. "I have dinner for you."

His eyes lit up, and he sat up, digging into the food she had brought him. Ashlynn watched him, before cocking her head slightly.

_Ashlynn_, Crystal called through their telepathic link. _I brought the brother. The Homunculi were trying to capture him…_

_Where are you now?_

_In the stables. We'll come up as soon as I'm finished dismounting._

_ Alright…I'll let Edward know…_Ashlynn replied, looking over at the blonde. She reached over and rested her hand on his. He looked up at her face.

"Is something wrong?"

"Your brother is here at the manor."

"What? When? How?"

"He'll be here soon. My sister saved him from the Homunculi. The two of you are safe within our walls."

Edward slumped back in his chair, a sigh of relief escaping him. "Thank you, Ashlynn."

The young vampire was taken aback by the thanks. She didn't know what to say, curious about how his feelings toward her had changed so much in the past three days, but relieved that he no longer hated her.

"You're welcome," she finally replied.

Ashlynn looked over when there was a knock on the door. She went over to open it, and a young blonde barreled past her, running over to hug Edward.

"Brother, I'm so glad you're safe!"

"Same here, Al…"

Ashlynn glanced over at her sister. "Thank you, Crystal."

"Of course. But Envy didn't put up much of a fight…It was hardly any fun…"

Ashlynn laughed slightly, and glanced over at the Elric brothers, who were deep in conversation. A sad smile crossed her face. "Really, Crystal…Thanks…"

The older vampire glanced at her sister, surprised. Ashlynn's mind was writhing with bitter sadness and anger; odd, considering the two humans were safe. Her sister shook her head, purposely closing off her thoughts—a clear sign that she didn't want to talk about what was bothering her. Crystal frowned, but decided to say nothing. Instead, she gently squeezed Ashlynn's shoulder in a reassuring sort of way, and left the room.

Ashlynn continued to watch the two brothers. Finally, Edward looked over at her.

"Thank you, so much."

"You're welcome…It was the least I could do after…" Ashlynn stopped short, and shook her head slightly. "Never mind." _After I tore you away from the light._

"I really do appreciate it, though."

Ashlynn smiled slightly. "So, what sort of things are you interested in?"

"For what?" Edward asked, obviously confused by the sudden question.

"You both need to pull your own weight around here, that's why. It can be your way of saying 'thank you' for protecting you, and all," a female voice said. "And maybe you can get me a can of tuna while you're at it."

Ashlynn sighed, almost wearily, passing a pale hand over her grey eyes. "Jackie…How did you get in? I could have sworn I locked the door after Crystal left…"

"You did," was the only cheerful reply.

"Who are you talking to…?" Edward asked, the name 'Jackie' being vaguely familiar…

"Down here," an irritated voice said, and the two Elrics looked down at the floor to see a fluffy orange tabby at Ashlynn's feet.

Alphonse's eyes widened happily. "It's so cute!" he exclaimed, reaching down to pick up the cat, stroking its ears as it stiffened in his hands.

"Put. Me. Down," a female voice growled as the cat narrowed its eyes.

With a somewhat startled squeak, Alphonse dropped the cat, who went to settle down in Ashlynn's lap, muttering in irritation. Ashlynn sighed and began to stroke the cat's head. She looked up at the brothers, who were both obviously surprised by the cat's behavior and the fact that it spoke. Ashlynn smiled, almost apologetically.

"Edward, Alphonse, this is Jackie. She's a shapeshifter."

Jackie glanced at the two humans, almost angrily, and then rested her head in her paws as Ashlynn continued to pet her head.

"But…I thought she was a tiger…" Edward finally managed to say.

Jackie looked at him, but it looked more like a glare. "I am, but I have four different forms, thank you very much." She set her head in her paws again, muttering to herself. "Jeez, humans are so thick…"

"Oh, stop," Ashlynn chided gently. "You were human once. Don't forget that you're an artificial shapeshifter…"

Jackie scoffed and closed her eyes. "Don't know why she likes him so much…"

Ashlynn's cheeks turned a faint pink. "Jackie, shush!"

"You know I'm right…"

Ashlynn glared at the cat before returning her gaze to the Elric brothers. "As I was saying, what sort of things are you interested in? That way, you can be doing something you like."

"Well…I like books…" Edward said.

"Then I'll show you the library. And you, Alphonse?"

"Oh…Well…I like animals and metalwork…"

"Great. You can help out in the stable house and smithy…They've been looking for an extra hand…" Ashlynn picked up the tabby in her lap and set her down on the ground. Gesturing to the brothers, she stepped out in the hallway and proceeded to give them a tour of the manor.

"A good majority of the guest rooms are on this floor. As soon as I talk with Riza, you'll have your own room, Alphonse, but for now, you'll have to share with your brother…This is the library tower. It takes up four stories…There are two dining rooms, but one is reserved for social gatherings that my uncle hosts…"

Eventually, they were outside, touring the grounds.

"Good afternoon, Lady Ashlynn!"

"Good afternoon, Mr. Armstrong," Ashlynn replied with a light smile.

A very tall and muscular man stepped around a tree, a basket of gardening tools in one hand and a basket of apples in the other.

"Edward, Alphonse, this is our gardener and groundskeeper, Alex Louis Armstrong."

The man dipped his head to the two brothers. "It's a pleasure to meet you both, masters Elric. We are glad to help protect you." He then returned his gaze to Ashlynn. "Lady Ashlynn, shall I bring these apples to the kitchen or to your room?"

"Please bring them to the kitchen."

"Yes, ma'am." With another respectful bow of his head, he headed off.

"What is he?" Edward asked once Armstrong was out of sight.

"Brother, that sounded really rude…" Alphonse chided.

Ashlynn laughed slightly. "Oh, no. The only night creatures here are my family and myself, Jackie and Lily, Terra, and Aaric. Everyone else is human."

"Wait, really?"

"Yes. My uncle is actually quite compassionate…" She trailed off, appearing to stare off into the distance. She shook her head slightly and then smiled at the two brothers. "Come along."


End file.
